Bulletin No. 36. Muy, 1941. UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE Soi1Survey of Milk River Sheet BY F. A. WYATT AND J. D. NEWTON (With Appendix by J. A. Allan) University of Alberta W. E. BOWSER AND W. ODYNSKY Dominion Department of Agriculture Experimental Farms Service Distributed by Department of Extension, University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta, Canada CONTENTS Page Acknowledgment ...................................................................................................................................................4 Preface ..................................................................... ................ ............................................................ .............. ................ 5 Description of Area ... ...................................................... ..... ..... .... ..... ........................................... ........... .... 7 Agriculture ................. ............................................................................... .... ........................... ... ................................. 14 Climate ................................................................................................................. .............................................. ....... ....... 18 Vegetation ................................................... .... .................................... ............ ................................... ..................... 23 Systems of Soi1 Classification ........................................ .... ........... .... ..... ..... .... ... ............................ 27 Soi1 Zone ............................................................................................................................................................ 27 Mode of Deposition of Parent Material ........................................................................ 28 Profile Variation ............................................... .... ...................................... ........... .... ............................. 30 Soi1 Survey Methods ............................................................................................ ............................................. 32 SO& ......................................................................................................................................................................................33 Brown Soi1 Zone ........................................................... ................................. ........................... ... .............. 46 Fine Sandy Loams of the Southeast Corner ............................ ...................... 40 Heavy Textured Laking Basin in the Southeast Corner ................... 41 Residual Solonized Loams Southeast of Manyberries ........................ 41 Solonized Sorted Residual Loams between Pendant d’oreille and Comrey ._.................. ..... ............................................................ ..................................... .......... 43 Residual Loams South of Milk River ...................................................................... 44 Solonized Glacial Loams South of Manyberries ......................................... 45 Soi1 of Pakowki Lake Flats ............................................................................................ 45 Alluvial Loams to Clay Loams between Manyberries and Ranchville ......................................._.......................... ..................................................................... 47 Glacial Loams between Orion and Bullshead .............................................. 47 Heavy Textured Basin West of Bullshead ....................................................... 48 Glacial Loams North of Chin and Seven Persons Coulee .............. 48 Sorted Loams and Silt Loams North of Chin Coulee .......................... 49 Glacial Heavy Loams and Clay Loams along Etzikom Coulee 51 Sorted Heavy Loams and Silt Loams South of Chin Coulee ...... 52 Mixed Loams between Allerton and Lucky Strike .................................... 53 Glacial and Sorted Glacial Loams of the Southwest Corner ........ 54 Dark Brown Soi1 Sub-Zone ....................... .................... ................................. .................... 63 Glacial Loams of the Sweet Grass Hills Elevation ................................ 63 Hilly Loams Adjacent to Eagle Butte ................................................................ 64 Residual Alluvial Loams South of Fox .......................................... .................. 64 Shallow Black, Black, and Podsolized Soi1 Sub-Zones ................................ 67 Black Soils of the Cypress Plateau ....... ................................................................... 67 Podsolic Soils of the Cyprees Hills ............................................................................ 69 Eroded Lands ................................................................................................... ................................................... 71 Marshes and Lakes ..................................................................................................................................... 71 Composition of Soils of the Milk River Sheet ................................................................. 71 Alkali .... ..... ................................................................................................................... .... .................... ............................. 76 Farm Practice ................................................. ..... ...... ..................................................................... ........................ 80 Soi1 -Rating Map ..................................................................................................................................................88 APPENDIX: The Relation of the Geology to the Soils in the Milk River Sheet: Introduction ..................................................... ...................................... ...................... .......... ................... 96 Physical Features ............................................ ................................ ............ ......... .......................... 92 Sub-Surface Geology ... ............................................................................. ........................... ......... 94 Origin of Surficial Deposits in Milk River Sheet .................................... 99 Artesian Water ........................................................... ..................... .: ... .................................................193 Maps and Illustrations: Nine plates containing 21 figures. Soi1 Survey Map of Milk River Sheet, scale 1 inch to 3 miles, and Land Rating ‘Map ................................... ............................................ ..... ... Inside Back Cover ACKNOWLEDGMENT The soi1 survey report of the Milk River sheet is the result of co-operation between the Dominion Department of Agricul- ture, the Soils Department of the University and the Geology Department of the University. The authors of this report wish to acknowledge their ap- preciation for assistance and support received from the fol- lowing sources: The Dominion Department of Agriculture, Experimental Farms Service, supplied funds under the Prairie Farm Re- habilitation Act for conducting the field and laboratory work and for drawing and printing the soi1 map. The University of Alberta provided office and laboratory accommodation and supplied funds for printing the report. The Department of Mines and Resources, Surveys and Engineering Branch, Hydrographie and Map Service, supplied the township and sectional maps and supervised the compila- tion and drawing of the soi1 map. The report is published with the approval of the Committee on Agricultural Extension and Publications of the University. PREFACE The farmer is among the first to recognize the fact that soils vary tremendously in their power to produce crops. This variation is due to differences in physical, chemical and bio- logical relationships within the various soi1 types. This report describes the properties of the surface and subsoil of the various soi1 types, and gives the fertility invoice of the principal areas. It describes the topography, drainage, water supply, and alkali problems of the area. Methods of soi1 management and possible utilization of the area are discussed. It also contains a brief discussion of the climate and agricul- tural development of the area, together with the important farm crops and transportation facilities. The soi1 map is an important part of this report. It is made on the scale of three miles to the inch, and shows not only the ‘different soi1 types but also important features such as topo- graphy, railroads, streams and towns. The soi1 map serves as a basis by which the better land cari be distinguished from the poorer land as well as indicating the best method of utilization. Two other maps accompany this report: one shows ,the dis- tribution of the cultivated, abandoned and virgin lands in the area, and the other shows the possible utilization of the area. The area covered by this report, namely, the Milk River sheet, lies in the semi-arid portion of Alberta, and rainfall is a limiting factor in trop production over most of this sheet. This low annual rainfall over a long period of time has limited the native vegetative growth, resulting in a soi1 type with a low initial fertility, particularly of the element nitrogen. At the present time on this sheet there